Aide of slain Makati Cityengineer dies

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Almost two months after the fatal shooting of Makati City engineer Nelson Morales in Malinao, Albay, his close-in security escort who gunned down one of the assailants died last Wednesday while undergoing treatment at the V. Luna Hospital in Quezon City.

William Balayo, one of the lawyers of the Morales family, said retired Army captain Raul Capital died due to infection from the bullet that remained in his body when he and Morales were shot last Sept. 7 by suspected guns-for-hire while getting out of a chapel in Malinao town where Morales was one of the sponsors in a wedding.

Balayo said Capital suffered several gunshot wounds from a .45-caliber pistol, but one of the bullets did not exit his body. 

Due to the infection, Capital was in coma by Wednesday noon and died at around 4:45 p.m, he said.

Balayo said Capital was the one who gunned down Christian Sarahan, the one shot Morales at close range.

With Capital’s death, he said they would file a motion before the court to upgrade their charges against the suspects to double murder.

Of the 14 suspects, only six have been identified and charged, including alleged gun-for-hire gang leader Gilbert Concepcion and his brother Ramson, both of Libon town.   

– With Celso Amo